Water's Edge
by eviltwin2318
Summary: Emmeline Tamera Mason is a young muggleborn witch. Off to Hogwarts one sepetember, Tammi discovers magic, quidditch,werewolves, and...boyfriends? Meanwhile, Lord Voldemort is on the rise and no muggleborn is safe. set in Marauders Era, mostly OC.
1. Mudbloods and Metamorphagi

**This is my first fanfic EVER, so I would really appreciate reviews and constructive criticism! **

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything i didn't invent, so...JkRowling owns all. Except what I own. Which is just Tammi and her friends and (I think) Exploding toads.  
**

Chapter 1 Mudbloods and Metamorphagi

Platform 9 ¾

Morning light filtered in to the airy platform from high above, turning the polished grey floor a rosy pinkish color. The room was nearly empty, an unoccupied train sitting on a set of tracks to the side. Only two groups of people stood on the platform, each pointedly ignoring the others.

Two young teenage boys and two adults formed the first group. The teenagers looked nothing like each other. One, an untidy looking boy with messy black hair that had been purposefully rumpled and bright hazel eyes looked at everything with interest. The other, a handsome teenager several inches taller with dark brown hair that fell to his shoulders looked around with an air of casual boredom.

"I can't wait until we get to Hogwarts." the handsome teen remarked.

"Yeah..." the raven-haired boy's eyes misted over. Sirius, the brunette, smirked, deciding not to interrupt his friends fantasies of a certain red-headed girl. James would be jerked back to reality soon, when he met with Lily's latest rejection.

Hogwarts Express

A door slammed and a young girl, no more than eleven, was shoved out out of a compartment and into the isle. Inside the compartment, three third-years in green and black robes laughed loudly. Looking close to tears, the girl got up, and, bottom lip quivering, began to search for an empty compartment. To her dismay, there were none. Picking a door that's occupants seemed less dangerous, she opened the sliding glass screen and stepped inside. Four boys and two girls, including a redhead with a prefects badge that she had seen on the platform earlier, all looked up at the first years entrance..

All the students were clearly in the fifth or sixth year, as two, the redhead and a thin blond boy, sported prefects badges.

"May I- May I sit here?" she asked. Red lines ran down her face and she looked as if she had indeed been crying.

"Sure." one of the boys with messy black hair said. "there's plenty of room." The redhead looked curiously at the girl. "are you okay?"

"yes."

"but what happened?" the other girl, with black hair and a sharp nose asked. "I'm Alice, by the way."

"Someone called me 'mudblood' and pushed me." The little girl looked ready to burst into tears again. "I don't know what it meant, but it didn't sound very nice."

"It's not." another boy commented. The redhead looked sympathetic. "I've been called that loads of times by the Slytherins. It's okay." she paused for a moment. "I'm Lily Evans. That's James," she pointed at the boy with the messy hair. "Sirius, the brunette." Sirius waved. "Remus,"-the prefect- "and Frank." the boy who had spoken earlier. "And Alice." she added as an afterthought a few seconds later.

"Thanks." Alice said sarcastically. "Glad you remembered."

"what's your name?" Remus asked.

"Emmeline Tamera Mason. But most people call me Tammi." the petite witch was looking considerably happier. She sat down on one of the two open seats next to Lily. Soon the talk turned to Quidditch.

James, Sirius, and Alice, who played on the Gryffindor house team soon found themselves explaining Quidditch to Tammi as she was muggle born and had never heard of the sport.

"So, the beaters whack the bludgers at other players?" Tammi plied them with questions about rules, professional Quidditch teams, and the various positions. "Has anyone ever been killed by a bludger?"

"Er- probably." Alice quickly added "but not at Hogwarts." which instantly quelled the look of fascinated horror that was spreading across Tammi's face.

"That sport is so COOL!" Tammi shouted. "That makes soccer sound like tic-tac-toe!"

Lily, who had been muttering "Tammi Mason...Tammi Mason..." suddenly exclaimed "I know! You were the captain and center halfback of that girls soccer team that won that huge All-Europe girls soccer tournament! It was all over the muggle papers a few months ago."

"yep!" Tammi smiled. She was now a completely different person from the

girl who had walked into the compartment sniffling an hour ago.

Alice, James, Sirius, Remus, and Frank had no idea what Lily and Tammi were talking about, so the subject was hastily changed to the four houses.

"We're all Gryffindors." James told Tammi. "You can tell by the little bit of red on our sleeves.'

"What color were the others you met wearing?" Frank wondered.

Tammi promptly replied "Green."

"Slytherins." Hissed Alice. In response to Tammi's puzzled look, Sirius explained about the four houses, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.

"...Ravenclaw's all the big brains and Gryffindor's only brave people. Hufflepuff's a load of duffers, Slytherin, ...well, Slytherin..." Lily cut Sirius off. "Slytherin's a group of evil purebloods that have nothing better to do than make fun of us muggleborns." lily's face was flat and expressionless, but you could tell that the words hurt her.

"Well, I can't be in Slytherin- I'm a mudblood-" James hissed loudly at the word. "what?" Tammi asked, surprised.

"that's a really derogatory term, you know."

"But I am one." she said calmly. "I am a mudblood and I'd rather be one than one of those Slytherin purebloods." Lily nodded. "So would I."

"well, anyway, not Slytherin, and definitely not Ravenclaw... I'm not stupid, but I'm not... bright... either. That leaves Gryffindor and Hufflepuff, neither of which would be horrible, I suppose. Gryffindor sounds far better, however." James and Sirius clapped in agreement.

Then, a sixth year prefect stuck her head inside the compartment and told them to start changing.

Hogsmeade

"FIRS' YEARS! FIRS' YEARS! FOLLER' ME" A giant man stood just outside the train with an enormous lantern.

"That's Hagrid, the gamekeeper." Lily whispered to Tammi. "He can be a bit intimidating."

"All righ', lily?" Hagrid beamed at them. The Marauders, Alice, and Frank, had already gotten a carriage while Lily introduced Tammi to Rubeous Hagrid.

"An' who's this?"

"Tammi Mason, she's a first year. Bye Tammi! I'll see you at the castle!" Lily waved and ran off to join her friends in the thestrel drawn carriages. Tammi was left alone, standing shivering by Hagrid. The giant man smiled through his bushy, dark beard.

"Firs' years, foller me!" Hagrid strode off to the front of the group. The young students jogged to keep up with him as he rounded a corner and strode through some overgrown grass to get to a narrow stone path. After a few hundred feet, the path twisted sharply, then disappeared at the shores of a great, inky-black lake.

Tammi, however, barely looked at the lake; the boy next to her, a rather stupid, but attractive blond, had found a salamander and all the first years around him were either screaming and giggling, or begging him to let them hold it.

The boy seemed to be enjoying all the attention and grudgingly put the amphibian down when Hagrid called them all over to the lake.

"No more' n' four ter a boat!" Indeed, at the waters edge sat ten little boats. As far as Tammi could see, the boats had no paddles, or, in fact, any way of steering.

She climbed into the second boat from the left with a raven haired girl with chocolate colored skin who had been standing near her on the other side of salamander boy. Two boys, a friendly white-blond who introduced himself as Colton Green, and a brunette with big eyes, clambered in after them. The girl with chocolate skin gazed interestedly at Tammi.

"You know, your hair's turned turquoise." she finally pointed out.

"Don't talk rubbish, my hair's gold." Tammi snapped, annoyed by the ludicrousy of the statement. She had brushed her honey-colored hair only three hours ago, in front of a mirror.

"Now it is." said the black girl patiently. "But- look! Now it's violet!" she grabbed the blond boy's arm. "Look, Colton! Isn't her hair purple?"

"Yeah." Colton stared for a moment, not realizing. Then, a look of understanding and astonishment washed over his face. "You're a metamorphagus!!"

"What's that?" Tammi felt extremely stupid.

"It means that you can change your appearance at will." The black girl looked at her. "Metamorphagi are really, really rare."

"But- but this has never happened before!"Tammi protested halfheartedly. It wasn't entirely true. Her hair had changed colors before, but only briefly, so briefly that it made her wonder if it had ever happened at all. How she never seemed to need a haircut.

"Wow. I'd never met a metamorphagus. I'm Amrit Rivers, by the way." Then, Hagrid raised his hand and shouted "FORWARD!" As if by magic- _no_, by _magic_, Tammi corrected herself, the boats sped along the black waters of the lake.

Suddenly, a light became visible far ahead. The blond boy (who had the salamander) in the boat ahead said stupidly "A light!" pointed his finger at it, and almost tipped himself out of the boat.

Then there were two lights, and then three. Soon, a whole row of little lights was visible. Eventually it became apparent that the little lights were windows. If you squinted hard, an outline of a building- a great castle- became visible.

"An' tha's Hogwarts up ahead!" Hagrid yelled to the whispering first years ("It's so huge!" "My brother said, but I never expected this!")Next to Tammi, Amrit gasped. Another person gasped too; maybe it was Tammi. The castle was enormous, but also breathtakingly beautiful. To the left, an ancient, dark forest loomed ("the Forbidden Forest!" Colton whispered. "There's Werewolves and even Unicorns in there!"). On the right, a stadium rose out of the darkness, with six bronze hoops rising above the stands ("Quidditch!" Colton exclaimed delightedly).

But then, two girls screamed. Startled, Tammi glanced around for the source of alarm and screamed herself when she saw the stone cliff only ten yards ahead of them. They were going too fast. They would crash for sure!

Amrit put an arm around Tammi and whispered "It's okay!" _It's OK? _Tammi thought could crash. They could die! Why didn't Amrit see that? Then Tammi saw. The cliff right in front of them wasn't solid rock after all. It was a cave, cleverly concealed with ivy that hung over the cavern mouth in large chunks. The boats passed into the wave washed cave. _A tunnel_ Tammi realized. They came to rest on a rocky shore.

"Ev'ry one al' righ'?" Hagrid boomed. Without waiting for an answer he said "Foller me."and strode off into the tunnel, shattering the blackness with his huge lantern. The young witches and wizards exchanged nervous glances with each other and followed Hagrid.

Tammi and Amrit clung close to Colton. Colton had grown up in an all-wizard family and had an aura of confidence and calm that radiated around him. Tammi felt safe near him. He didn't mind a bit, taking the girls behavior in stride.

Soon, Tammi noticed, they were no longer in a natural tunnel but a stone passageway. It led into an enormous hall with a wide flight of stairs. At the top stood a very old teacher.

"I am professor McGonagoll. In a few minutes, we shall proceed to the sorting."

Hagrid waved to the first years and strode through the large, ornate wooden door at the head of the steps. Professor McGonagoll turned to face the nervous huddle of first years.

"At Hogwarts there are four houses, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin, each with it's own noble history. While you are here, your house will be..."

Tammi lost track of what the professor was saying. Her speech was effortless and practiced; it was clear that she had said the same thing to many other groups of first years, other times. Finally, she finished.

"...Now, follow me." In single file, the first years trailed nervously up the stairs and through the door where Hagrid had passed through not long ago.

It was the hardest thing Tammi had ever done, going into the great hall with people from all four tables staring at her and the others. Tammi waved to Lily at the red and gold Gryffindor table. Lily and all the Marauders (plus Alice and Frank) waved back, boosting Tammi's confidence slightly. But only slightly.

A moment passed and McGonagoll stalked into the hall with a dirty old hat. she set it down on a stool placed right in front of the high table. For a split second nothing happened, but then- a gaping hole appeared in the front of the hat, looking remarkably like a mouth, and it started singing.

_I'm not the newest cap out there_

_nor am I the blackest hat_

_but I can see inside your head_

_no other hat does that!_

_So put me on and I will tell_

_where you ought to be_

_for once that I'm inside your head_

_there's nothing I can't see!_

_The house of Godric Gryffindor,_

_the Gryffindors are bold_

_the bravest and the daring_

_are clad in red and gold_

_The house of Rowena Ravenclaw_

_And all the things she knew_

_was all the knowledge to be learned_

_her house wears black and blue_

_Or yet with Salazar Slytherin, _

_the house of silver and green_

_Those crafty Slytherins are wise_

_and cunning, bold, and keen_

_And Good Helena Hufflepuff_

_was wise and kind and loyal_

_those qualities her house all share_

_they're unafraid of toil_

_The founders four all see through me_

_to pick the ones they want to be_

_in there house, for they all share_

_the necessary qualities!_

For a few seconds after the patched hat stopped singing, there was total silence. Then, the four tables exploded with applause. Professor McGonagoll walked up to the stool with a long parchment list

_"_Amberwood, Martin!" The brunette from Tammi's boat strode confidently through the first year huddle to the stool. He jammed the hat on his head, and then-

"GRYFFINDOR!" A slow smile spread across Martin's face and he went to join the cheering and clapping table on the far left of the hall. The sorting continued. "Artsworth, Arianna!" was sorted into Ravenclaw and "Bailey, Arielle!" became a the first Hufflepuff. Also into Hufflepuff went a pair of twins (Chang and Chang). Two more Hufflepuff's were sorted, but then Bartimeous Gargoyle (an apish boy with arms that hung to his knees and dull black eyes that blinked stupidly) became a Slytherin. The red and gold table booed, while a table on the other side of the Great Hall exploded into cheers.

Although the majority of the occupants at the Slytherin table did look rather unpleasant, the next first year ("Garden, Nicole!") also became a Slytherin, and she looked pleasant enough. Three more students were sorted (two Hufflepuffs and a Gryffindor), and then-

"Green, Colton!" Colton no longer looked brave, in fact, he looked rather queasy, like he might puke at any time.

"But what if I'm in Slytherin?" He whispered frantically to Tammi. "My brother and sister are Gryffindors!"

"Cheer up, Colton, your family will just disown you!" Tammi replied with a cheerfulness she didn't feel, as she had been wondering the same thing. What if she was in Slytherin? What would happen then?

"yeah, Colton, no pressure." Amrit added dryly.

"But..what if..." Tammi cut him off.

"Get out there. You'll do fine." Amrit shoved him out of the huddle and, smirking, watched as he stumbled to the stool. However, there was no need to worry. Before the hat even touched his hair, it roared out-

"GRYFFINDOR!" Confident Colton came back. Grinning, he took his place at the Gryffindor table between his smiling siblings. Sitting just across from him was James Potter, who looked bummed, and Lily, who seemed annoyed ("will he _ever_ learn?"), whispering something ("I can't _believe _he asked me out _again._") to Alice and another 5th year, Marlene McKinnon, that made them laugh.

Two more first years, a boy, Rupert Grim, and a petite Asian girl, Kimberly Kastern ("call me Kimmie,") joined Colton at the Gryffindor table.

And then, McGonagoll called out "Mason, Emmeline Tamera!"

Tammi stepped up to the stool, sick inside with a feeling, not dread, but something much worse, the unknown.

It was time to be sorted.

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	2. Sorting and Shapeshifting

**A/n I'm disappointed. No Reviews! I wouldn't be posting this at all, except I enjoy reading it. Reviews really would be appreciated, people!**

**Disclaimer: JKR owns HP. I am not JKR. Therefore...**

**A. I own HP**

**B. I own Twilight**

**C. I own everything**

**D. I own nothing**

**It's D. I'm not going to tell you if I own Harry Potter or not. You can figure that one out! It's really easy... :)  
**

Chapter 2: sorting and shapeshifting

Great Hall

Lily watched as Tammi walked quickly up to the stool. If you hadn't really been looking, Tammi seemed confident, sassy, ready-for-anything. Lily was looking. Tammi was walking too fast. Her eyes darted to the exits on either side of the hall, like she wished she could escape. Every few seconds she nervously tucked a lock of now golden hair behind her ear. _Poor Tammi, she must be feeling so awful_, Lily thought pityingly. The redheaded prefect remembered her own sorting. She had been so scared! Lily settled back into her seat to watch.

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Tammi walked up to the mangy hat, tossed her hair, and slammed it on her head. It fell, resting on her ears, so that she could see nothing but blackness.

_Hmm..._

Tammi jumped at the voice inside her head. It couldn't be the hat, could it?

It was.

_You're not to sharp, are you?_ The hat would have smirked had it been able to. Tammi almost stuck out her tongue, but quickly shut her mouth, realizing the hat could not see her.

_Maybe Slytherin..._

_If you think that, you're not to bright either, _Tammi thought savagely. If the hat was going to insult her, she would insult back.

_Oho, not Slytherin, not Ravenclaw, and you're too good for Hufflepuff...even if you are an idiot...so better be..._

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted the last word to the hall and Tammi sighed with relief. Her expression turned to one of happiness when she realized the marauders, Lily, Alice, and Frank were cheering extra loud for her. Tammi smiled. It was all right.

Tammi almost skipped on the way to the Gryffindor table, who were still cheering for her. She was so happy that everything seemed to bubble inside her. It had to come out. Tammi didn't notice her hair metamorphosing, but the rest of the hall did. Abruptly, the cheering at the Gryffindor table doubled and the whispering began.

"Did you see?"

"Her hair-"

"It changed! The color..."

"God, her hair's even redder than Evans'!"

"And the little gold streaks."

"Like the Gryffindor colors. I told you..."

"Why DIDN'T YOU TELL US?" roared Potter. Black pounded on the table while Remus, Frank, and Alice shook with laughter. Lily looked shocked and amazed. She was clapping with a silly grin on her face like the rest of the house.

"I didn't tell because I didn't know!" Tammi laughed. Her blood-red shoulder length hair whipped around her pixie-ish head, small gold streaks glinting in the torchlight.

Tammi squished herself between Martin and Kimmie. Dumbledore, the white-haired headmaster, finally stopped the whispering by raising his hand.

"In the future, Miss Mason, will you kindly refrain from Metamorphosing in public areas, as the rest of the school is too immature to handle it!" Everyone laughed and the sorting continued.

Gilderoy Lockeheart, the salamander boy, was sorted into Hufflepuff, but only after he flashed his too-white-to-be-real smile at the hall several times. A trio of girls, (Peters, Peterson, and Potson) were sorted into Ravenclaw.

Amrit and two other girls, Reilly Root and Amber Twinson, Joined Tammi at the Gryffindor table not long after. However, Amber's twin, Allison, became a Ravenclaw. The last five first years went to Slytherin.

Dumbledore stood. "I won't bore you any longer, so on with the feast!" He beamed at everyone and waved his hands once. Suddenly, the bare tables were covered with food. Turkey, steak, chips, potatoes, shepherd's pie, and an enormous Ham materialized on the tables.

Everyone except Tammi filled their plates with the mouthwatering spread. Concerned, Lily asked "Tammi, why aren't you eating? The food's delicious."

Tammi smirked. "It probably is, but-" she pulled a bag of Swedish Fish out of her pocket "I'll stick to these." No one commented anymore on Tammi's eating habits as she munched her way through the candy.

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During the feast, the first years chattered on about Quidditch, cats, lessons (which started the next day), and mostly, themselves.

"My parents are magic, but I've got three muggle grandparents." Amber explained.

"I'm Pureblood." Colton said.

"Same." Rupert Grim and August Parks were too. Reilly Root, Amrit, and Kimberly were all half-bloods. Martin Amberwood, Michael Gannet, and Tammi were muggleborns.

"What's your wand? Tammi asked with interest. "Mine's twelve and one-half inches, California Redwood with Dragon Heartstrings. Ollivander said it was made for Transfiguration."

"Mine's yew. Only seven inches. Veela hair. I didn't get it from Ollivander's because I was in France on holiday when I got my letter. Kimmie's wand matched her height; they were both tiny.

Colton drew his wand. "Rowan. Brittle, eleven and ¾ inches. I think the core's a phoenix feather, but I wasn't really paying attention when the wandmaker said."

Reiley's wand was the longest, very swishy and fifteen inches, while Michael's was even smaller than Kimmie's, at only six-and-a-half inches.

Soon, however, the talking stopped, and everyones (excluding Tammi) got down to some serious eating. Once most of the food had vanished into people's stomachs, although vast quantities of food still remained, everything vanished and desserts appeared on clean platters. Tammi, like everyone else, attacked the food with gusto, helping herself to at least six flavors of ice cream. Once all were done, Dumbledore rose to his feet, no longer looking cheerful, but rather grave.

"As many of you already know, a dark wizard by the name of Lord Voldemort has been at large in the wizarding community for several months. He is targeting Muggleborn witches and wizards, as well as muggles themselves. I urge you to put safety before all, and protect our muggleborn students. Every human life is worth the same, regardless of ancestry." several Slytherins looked sceptical. A sallow boy with white-blond hair actually snorted.

"Git." breathed James. Following Tammi's confused gaze, Lily said "That's Lucius Malfoy. His father's a big supporter of You-know-who."

"You-know-who?" Tammi and Martin both stumbled over the name, not connecting it to that of the dark lord.

"Voldemort. Most wizards are too scared to say his name." Sirius snorted. "Cowards, they are."

Dumbledore still looked sorrowful, like he could not believe the evil of Voldemort. "Now, Argus Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to remind you that no spells are to be cast in the corridors between classes. Also, a list of banned objects, which has been expanded to include love potions, trick wands, and exploding toads. **(A/N I made those up, I don't think there are exploding toads in HP) **The forbidden forest on the grounds is, as always, forbidden like it's name suggests. Quidditch tryouts will be held whenever team captains set them, anyone wishing to try out should give their names to their head of house. Congratulations to the new Gryffindor captain, Sam Wood, and-"

"Sam got captain?" James' face was shocked. "He never told me!"

"You haven't talked to him since June, Potter."Lily reminded him.

"Oh. Yeah. Right. You can call me James, Lily flower." Lily snorted.

Dumbledore continued as if there had been no interruption. "-and the new Hufflepuff captain, Amos Diggory!"

"_Diggory?_" Sirius was the picture of complete disbelief. "He's a _moron_!"

"No, he's not. I know for a fact that he got ten OWL's, _and_ he's a genius at Herbology." Alice contrdicted.

"Better than me?" Frank looked ready to cry.

"Oh, for Merlin's sake," Alice rolled her eyes. "Shut up."

"now, I am sure you all wish to go to bed, as your lessons await you in the morning!" Some of the older students groaned.

The benches were all shoved back, screeching on the stone floor, as the entire school rose simultaneously.

As a prefect, Lily was in her element. "First years, follow me! First years, this way please!" Remus was slightly unwilling, but followed Lily as she led the ten new Gryffindors to Gryffindor tower. The castle was immensely confusing. Lily and Remus led the first years through an apparently solid wall that was really a door, across three flying staircases, past several suits of tarnished armor that Tammi could have sworn moved, and finally to a watercolor painting of a fat old lady.

"Password?" Amrit, who was directly in front of the painting, jumped as she saw the Fat Lady's mouth move.

"Platypus." Lily spoke confidently. The painting swung forward, revealing a large hole around five feet tall. Inside the room, a large, circular area carpeted in scarlet, were several squashy red armchairs and a golden couch, all centered around a large, bright fire which burned inside a carved oak fireplace. A large red and gold tapestry depicting a roaring lion covered an entire wall. A notice board covered in fliers filled the area between two large stairwells.

As they got closer to the steps, Tammi could make out the letters on several of the fliers. One described a used broomstick a fourth year boy was selling, another proclaiming that the first Hogsmeade trip of the year would take place on September 30. Noticing where Tammi was looking, Lily quickly said "First years are not allowed to go to Hogsmeade, only third years and up."

Now, addressing the whole group, Lily said "Boy's dormitories are on the left, Remus will show you. Girls, follow me." She led the five up to the second door on the right staircase. A sign on it read 'FIRST YEAR'S'. Lily opened the door, smiled, and left them to explore the room.

Tammi beelined for the second bed on the left side where her trunk was. Her clothes had been unpacked (Tammi briefly wondered who had been stuck unpacking three hundred students trunks, but then realized that McGonagoll had probably waved her wand once and done everyones at the same time) and placed in a set of drawers built into the foot of her wide twin bed. The bedding was soft scarlet with gold pillows and comforter. Her stuffed cow, which she had slept with since she was three, was propped up against the largest pillow. For a moment, she blushed, embarrassed that everyone could see she had a 'teddy', until she realized that Amrit had a fluffy tree frog on her bed and Kimmie actually did have a stuffed bear. A red and gold canopy was atop her bed, but the curtains were tied back with scarlet ribbons.

Once she had jumped on her bed several times, bouncing up and down, amazed by the softness, Tammi actually looked around the room. On the far wall from the door, an enormous circular window filled most of the space. Two beds were pushed on either side of it; Amrit and Reilly's. Between Tammi and the door, Amber lay on her bed, hugging a fat golden pillow. On the opposite wall, there was only one bed, Kimberly's. Kimmie's bed was on the window side of the wall. The rest of the right wall was a gigantic mirror. Three tables, one with a pitcher of water and a basin, leaned against it. Five hairbrushes (one that Tammi recognized as her own), clips, ponytails, headbands, and even a box of curly multicolored hair extensions that Reilly admitted were hers rested on the second one.

The third table contained five large, colorful, metal boxes, with each of the first years names on them. Tammi's box was a metallic purple with glittery grass green letters spelling out **Tammi's Stuff. **Inside, she recognized her favorite perfume, Chocolate Peppermint, her deodorant, lotion, earring tree, nail polish bag, all her jewelery, and makeup. Tammi didn't wear much of it, only a bit of colored lip gloss, eye glitter, and sometimes mascara. However, she was a jewelery queen. Always her soccer charm bracelet, huge earring, and several beaded necklaces could be seen on her. Right now, however, Tammi was wearing only the sixteen friendship bracelets her muggle friends had given her before she left for school. They reminded her a bit of them, and with them, she didn't feel quite so out of place. And currently, she didn't feel out of place at all, with her four new friends around her in this brightly colored dorm. Friends made all the difference.

Tammi didn't realize how late it was until she saw the midnight sky outside the window. She didn't feel tired a bit, though, and neither did anybody else. Being in this strange place with four friends all night had the same feel as a sleepover, like the first asleep would be the one that everyone else shaving creamed.

"Let's play a game!" Kimmie announced gleefully. "Truth or Dare!"

"'kay. Truth or Dare, Reilly?" Amber grinned evilly.

"truth." Reilly shuddered. "You'd think up something too embarrassing if I picked Dare."

Amber looked faintly disappointed. "Okay, how many boys have you kissed?"

Reilly flipped her cheeto-orange hair extensions. "That's easy. Three. Truth or Dare, Kimmie?"

"Dare! Truth's too embarrassing."

"Okay, I dare you to go into the fifth year dorm and ask if you could borrow a pack of tampons."

"Done." Kimmie flipped her hair and walked out. She returned five minutes later with some pads. "Lily said she was out of tampons but she gave me these." she tossed the pads at Reilly. Everyone exploded into gales of laughter. "Truth or Dare, Tammi?"

"Dare."

"I dare you to...open the window and yell that you have six boyfriends!"

Tammi did it. Everyone laughed again. "Truth or dare...Amrit?"

"Truth."

"Are you a virgin?"

"Yes!" Amrit said indignantly. The peals of laughter this time were perhaps the loudest yet. "Truth or Dare, Amber!" Her voice trailed into a giggle. Now that the spotlight was off her, she could see the funny side of the joke.

"Dare."

"Okay...make out with the soccer player on Tammi's poster!" Amber walked over to Tammi's poster of Mia Ham and smacked her mouth against it, making squelching noises.

"Eeewww!!!!"

Suddenly, Kimmie yawned. Tammi's eye's blinked sleepily. "I'm tired." Amber announced. "G'night, people."

"'night."

Tammi burrowed under her warm blankets, her eyes too heavy to stay open.

Reilly was the only one awake. "C'mon, people, just gimme one more dare. Please?"

"Fine, I dare you to shut your trap. Good night." Amber said, head flopping on her pillow.

"Aaaawwww, puh-lease?"

"No! Shut up!" four voices rang out in unison.

"Fine." Reilly pouted. "I'll just, you know, die a lonely death all by myself while you lot snore your hearts out. I want to be buried by the lake. Thanks."

Except for quiet giggling now and then, all was silent.

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**A/N: I really want at least one review before I update. If I don't get one, I'll update anyway, but not for a few weeks. Which won't really matter because I don't think anyone's read this at all. Just review, Ok?**

Eviltwin


	3. Friendships and Fishies

**Thank you thank you thank you for my two reviews! you made my day!**

**This is going to be a shorter chapter because the next one is really important and long. Also, I didn't update immediately at one review- I think I said I would,- but I was asleep and it's the weekend after 4 days of really long, really boring, really important CST testing (also called STAR test). So sorry!**

**Disclaimer: I...OWN...NOTHING!!!!!! Except Tammi  
**

Tammi's first week at Hogwarts went by smoothly. Her best subject by far was Transfiguration, although she was near the top of the class in charms, Herbology, and Astronomy, too. Potions was more challenging, although, as Professor Slughorn said, Tammi's enthusiasm more than made up for her lack of talent. Amber was the most talented Potioneer in the class, and consequently could make potions years above her level. History of magic was a little more challenging. Staying awake in Professor Binns, Hogwarts' only ghost teacher, classes was more difficult, due to the teacher's droning nature.

Tammi, Amrit, Kimmie,Reilly, and Amber had become good friends. They spent their break periods together and were often joined by Colton and Michael Gannet, who had also become friends. But really, Tammi, Amrit, and Colton were best friends and the others were _just_ friends. The threesome spent time in the library together, did homework with each other, and explored the school. It was Colton who discovered the kitchens, but Amrit who figured out how to get in. It was Tammi who had stumbled upon the room of requirement while being chased by Filch, the caretaker, after kicking his cat (Tammi swore it was an accident, although the Gryffindors all proclaimed Tammi a hero after doing it). The room of requirement became their meeting place, their secret hideout, although the marauders knew how to get in too.

On the second morning, Tammi's gorgeous barn owl flew in during breakfast with a large box and a letter.

"Finally!" Tammi eagerly pulled the package off her owl's leg. "Thanks, Kwinky!"

Colton choked on his oatmeal. "WHAT did you just call that owl?"

"Kwinky."

"But- why, _why _would you name an owl that?"

"Well, see, in my muggle class, we were studying Ancient Rome, and my best friend, Lizzie, and I were looking at this map of the Roman Empire, and it had all these cities and their names. They were all weird names, like Carthage and Roma and Damascus and stuff like that. So anyway, there was this city, Aquincum, and Lizzie's like, 'Aquincum, uh-KWEEN-cum', and it was funny so I started saying it to, so we're like, 'uh-KWEEN-cum, uh-KWEEN-cum' cause, neither of us, like, knew how to pronounce it. But then my letter and the school person came and told me that I was a witch, and my parents bought me an owl so I could send them letters, and the first thing that I thought of when I named him was 'uh-KWEEN-cum' but that's sorta a mouthful, so now he's Kwinky."

"Er..." Colton struggled for words. "That's very ….interesting." Tammi shrugged and reached for the package Kwinky had just brought.

"Excellent!" inside the cardboard box was an assortment of American junk food and candy. Corn nuts, Hot Cheetos, and a package of Oreos stood out amidst a layer of Hershey kisses, mint patties, and Crunch bars. Tammi finally pulled out a package of goldfish crackers and a long letter. She opened it.

_Dear Tammi,_

_Thanks for the letter, we didn't expect to hear from you so soon. Your school sounds wonderful. I'm sorry about the food, but surely it can't _all_ be meat?_

"Tammi! You're a vegetarian!" Amrit peered over Tammi's shoulders at the letter. "Why didn't you tell us?" Tammi smiled and shrugged. She continued reading.

_Well, anyway, here's a bit of snacky stuff for you to munch on! We all went to In-n-out last night and ate burgers. I would send you one, but I think it would get __soggy over the Atlantic._

"You're American?" Colton asked incredulously.

"But why....Oh!" Lily said slowly. When she didn't elaborate, the first years shrugged and continued reading.

_All your school friends say Hi! They really miss you! So does Bree. She doesn't like having your room to herself. She says it's lonely._

"who's Bree?"

"My little sister. She's only seven."

_Dad and I promise we'll write weekly. We miss you!_

_Lots of love,_

_Mom, Dad, and Bree_

Tammi carefully folded the letter and placed it in her robe pocket. Opening the bag of fish crackers, she dug a handful out and offered them to her friends. Colton took and enormous handful and shoved them all in his mouth.

Speaking around the food, he said "I like dem!" Tammi cracked up as a cracker fell from his mouth, landing in his pumpkin juice.

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Lily and Alice sat in their dorm room talking. "What was that at breakfast?" Alice said abruptly.

"What...Kwinky?"

"No... the 'but why...Oh! And also, why's Tammi here? Aren't there schools of witchcraft and Wizardry in America?"

Lily's voice dropped, like she was scared someone would here her. "There are, two of them. One in New Mexico and an enormous institute in Salem. The Albaquerque school's only boys." Her voice dropped even lower to a whisper. "But here's the really _awful_ thing...Salem doesn't allow Muggleborns. You have to have proof of at least one magical ancestor. And not many schools do allow muggleborns. The closest school to where I live is Irish, but it's Purebloods only. They don't even let half-bloods in."

Tammi was not an eavesdropper, but upon hearing her name, she had slunk to the fifth year dorm with her ear pressed to the keyhole. Shocked at what she heard, she walked off to her dorm with a dazed expression. And for the first time, she realized that, in the Wizarding world, blood did matter.

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** sorry it's so short! But the next chapters already written (my math teacher doesn't seem to care what I do as long as I'm quiet, so I wrote the entire thing in her classes), I just have to type it. But I'll post whenever I can, probably tomorrow or monday. Also, even though I'll write whatever, reviews are really appreciated! **


	4. Descendia and Deductions

**Right now I'm feeling pretty discouraged. No one has reviewed this last chapter.**

**If I don't get any reviews, I will delete or abandon this story, because there's no point in writing a story if nobody wants to read it. Currently, I'm only writing because **_**I**_** want to read it. But, I have it saved on word, so I can read it from there. Review!**

**Disclaimer: nope. JKR owns all except not Tammi.**

**Tammi: HA! I'M FREE!!!!!!!!**

**Me: No your not. I own you. Now shut up and on with the story!  
**

It was dark when Tammi woke up. A full moon shone through the dormitory window casting shadows over the for girls (Amber was in the hospital wing, due to an unfortunate accident involving Bartimaeus Gargoyle's exploding toad). Amrit was sprawled on her bed, head tucked in her arms, feet on the pillows, covers askew. Tammi smiled faintly at the comical sight. It also filled her with a pang of homesickness, as that had been how her little sister, Bree, slept in their shared room at home.

The moonlight filtered through the circular window, in a shape that reminded her so much of a...Soccerball? Suddenly, Tammi knew what she needed to do. She had to play soccer.

Tammi grabbed her beat-up purple and white soccerball, faded from years of use, from under her bed. She hadn't kicked it around for a week, and it_ felt_ wrong.

Tammi knew she would have detentions for the rest of her life if she was caught in the castle or on the grounds.

The greatest danger, she decided, was the castle, as prefects patrolled all seven floors. On the grounds, especially the Quidditch pitch, there was no one but Hagrid, and he was probably snoring.

She couldn't go through the castle- what if Lily or Remus or, even worse, one of the Slytherin prefects caught her? That could be embarrassing. This left the window.

Tammi pulled out her wand and ruffled through her Charms notebook for a useful spell. Finally, she found one- Wingardium Descendia (swish and jab), which would allow her to float gently down all seven stories of the castle and land safely four hundred feet below.

Stuffing the notebook in her back pocket, Tammi yanked on her cleats and tip toed to the window. She opened it quickly and jumped out to the outside ledge. Brr, it was cold. A chilling breeze flew into the dorm. Amrit shivered and turned over, burying her head into her warm blankets. But no one woke. Tammi held her breath. She couldn't be that lucky? No.

"Tammi, what are you doing up there?" a figure in purple pajamas and a fluffy sunshine yellow bathrobe rubbed blearily at her eyes.

"Kimmie?" Tammi blinked. What was she going to tell her?

"Yeah."

"You should be in bed."

"So should you."

"I couldn't sleep."

"Neither could I. It got so cold."

"Sorry." Tammi paused. "That was me."

"I figured. You're sneaking out?"

Tammi paused again. "Yeah, I guess."

"I won't tell. G'night, Tammi."

"Night, Kim." Tammi yanked her redwood wand up and muttered the spell. "Leave the window open, will you?"

"Sure." Kimmie trundled back to bed, plopped down on it, and promptly began snoring.

Tammi shook her head, smiling. Then she jumped. For a terrifying two seconds, Tammi thought the spell hadn't worked. Then, she slowed down and fell to a complete stop. Beneath her, the lake lake glinted like a black diamond. Around it's shores...no, it couldn't be. She could have sworn that three shapes were running around the shores. Tammi hadn't even considered that she might not be the only student out of bed. It was just, the shapes didn't look exactly...human. They were more animalish.

Tammi didn't have any more time to think. Her spell kicked in and she floated slowly to the ground. The shadowy figures below disappeared as the silvery-white orb moon drifted behind a cloud

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_Bam._ The purple and white soccerball slammed against the stands of the Quidditch pitch, higher up than Tammi had known she could kick_. Slam_. Tammi felt better than she had all week. _Crash_. Leave the quidditch players to their fancy brooms, Soccer was just as good. To bad there were no goals and nobody to play with.

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Four animals stood on the edge of the Quidditch pitch, the largest two trying desperately to control a third, an enormous werewolf. It had smelled human blood and needed to bite. Around a stag, wolf, and dog, a little rat scurried, trying to distract the thrashing animals.

Something wasn't right about the creatures. Their eyes were too intelligent, too _human_ to be real.

For a moment, it seemed all right. The rat was successfully distracting the werewolf, dodging and weaving. But then, it all went wrong. The breeze changed directions, bringing a warm, human scent along with it. The werewolf bolted.

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After about an hour of hard practice, Tammi got the feeling she was being watched. Disgruntled, she grabbed her now-muddy soccerball and turned to walk over to the bench where she had stashed her wand. A scuffling noise behind her made Tammi freeze. She pivoted slowly on one heel to face the blackness. And one pair of bright yellow eyes.

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Tammi ran. She knew she couldn't outrun a werewolf, but if she could just get to her wand...

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The stag galloped after the wolf, with the shaggy black dog just behind. If Remus bit somebody...

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Almost there, just a few more feet! But the werewolf was almost upon her. Tammi leaped at her wand, snatching it up.

Still running, she shouted "Wingardium Levio-" Tammi hit a rock. Something in her arm cracked as she tripped and rolled on the dirt, stopping several feet away.

It was too late. The werewolf was going to bite her. It was all over. Tammi watched the gray monster pounce, but it never struck. A large beast- a horse?- jumped at it, knocking the wolf to the ground.

Tammi rolled over into a kneeling position to get a better look at the thing. It was a stag. The stag forced the werewolf out of the Quidditch pitch and into the Forbidden Forest.

Shakily, Tammi got up and stuffed her wand in her back pocket. Then, she realized she was not alone. An enormous dog, almost as tall as her five feet, stood only three yards away, with a gray rat at his foot. Tammi walked over to them.

"Hi dog, Hi rat." she murmured. Tammi picked the rat up with her good hand. It scuttled up her arm and sat on her shoulder.

"I used to have a rat, you know." she said, addressing the dog. "It only had one eye. I called it Winky." God, she must have sounded so stupid, Tammi thought. Talking to a dog! Putting the rat back on the ground, Tammi grabbed her things and, cradling her broken wrist, hurried back to Gryffindor Tower.

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The next morning, as the four girls in Tammi's dorm woke up, Kimmie glanced quizzically at Tammi's broken wrist, which the girl had hastily bound with a scarf, but mercifully didn't say anything.

As the four (Amber was still in the hospital wing) trudged off to breakfast, Kimberly whispered "What happened? Why's your wrist broken?" Glancing up at the fifth year dormitory where Lily was just walking out of, Tammi muttered "I'll tell you later." knowing that, although they were friends, Lily would still give her detention for being out of bed so late.

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Down at breakfast, the marauders were already eating with Frank and Colton. None of them looked happy.

Amrit, Tammi, and Kimmie squished in next to Colton. Lily sat down next to Tammi, as far from James as was possible. However, whatever was bothering James had made him very shaken and he didn't even ask Lily out like he did most mornings, much to her delight.

Lily frowned. "Tammi, what happened to your wrist?"

"I fell down the stairs." Tammi sounded extremely unconvincing.

"Don't make me laugh. What happened?"

"I'll never say." Tammi pretended to lock her lips shut and throw away the key.

Ten minutes later, Tammi had spilled. "'Kay, so I put this spell on me that lets me float down really slow, then I jump out the window."

Lily looked shocked. "That's not first year magic! And what if the spell hadn't worked, you could have died!"

"The Marauders were out of bed too, last night." Frank said. Tammi's brow furrowed, but she continued her narrative.

"So, anyway, I go down to the Quidditch pitch and I kicked my soccerball around a bit." Tammi paused, relishing the eager faces begging her to continue.

Colton frowned. "What's a soccerball?"

"It's that purple thing she keeps under her bed, mate." Amrit told him. Colton was pureblood, and, not having taken Muggle Studies, had an extremely limited knowledge of non-magical items.

"Yeah, okay." Lily interrupted impatiently. "keep going."

"Right. So, I feel like I'm being watched, and after a while I'm ready to go back." Tammi paused, letting the suspense grow.

"Get a move on it already, Lockehart." Kimmie giggled. Tammi faked looking hurt.

"Whatever. But then, this ginormous, huge werewolf jumped out at me!"

"How do you know that it was a werewolf?" Alice interrupted.

"it's eyes. They were little slits. Also, it was too big to be normal."

"So what happened?"

"I grabbed my wand, but then I tripped! Then the werewolf leaped." Remus winced. So did James, who knew what was coming next. Then they would all be expelled, and him, Sirius, and Peter more than likely sent to Azkaban.

"it didn't bite you!" Amrit said, horrified.

"No. This huge thing, even bigger than the wolf, it caught the werewolf in mid-jump and dragged it off the Quidditch pitch into the Forbidden Forest! To bad I didn't get a good look at it, though."

James masked a gasp. He knew that she had seen them. The only explanation was that she was covering for the Marauders. James said a silent thank you to whatever made Tammi do it.

"And then I ran back to Gryffindor tower." She concluded.

Kimmie leaned forward. "But when did you break your wrist?"

"When I fell."

"And the werewolf was fully grown?" Lily looked disgusted and fascinated at the same time.

"Dunno, I've never met one before, only read about 'em."

"I wonder who the wolf was?" wondered Alice. She had the same disgusted and fascinated tone that Lily had. Suddenly, Lupin announced that he felt sick and was going back to the common room.

"Me too." James got up to follow him. The rest of the Marauders filed out of the hall after them.

After a few seconds, Tammi quietly excused herself, saying she was headed to the library.

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Fifteen minutes later, Tammi strode out of the Hospital Wing with her wrist fixed and walked up to Gryffindor Tower.

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The Marauders were sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"I can't believe that was Tammi last night!" James said in a low tone.

Lupin shuddered. "Does it matter? If I'd bitten anyone, -anyone, even Snape – do you know what would happen? I'm sorry, but we can't do those little adventures anymore. It's too risky."

"Chill, Mooney." Sirius lounged on one of the gold couches. "It was a one-time thing, that's all. Most people aren't stupid enough to go by the forest on a full moon."

"Mostly. Some people obviously are." Peter, a smallish fat boy that generally blended into the background was the fourth Marauder, although not as cool or talented as the others.

"Exactly." A new, higher voice came in. "I, personally, would never have believed it of anyone but_ you._" Tammi stepped into the almost empty common room, clearly having been just behind the portrait hole. "Animagus. I knew there was something different about them." She continued, eyes flashing dangerously. "I didn't tell the whole story at breakfast, either. There was a rat and a dog too.

"That wasn't us." Lupin said automatically. A bead of sweat rolled down his forehead, betraying his nervousness.

"No? Frank says you weren't in your dorm. Amber says you weren't in the hospital wing- I talked to her while I was there about my wrist. Lily didn't see you when she was patrolling- And, Remus missed his patrol, remember? Lily did a double shift. I can put two and two together, you know." Tammi paused for breath. All stood still. "I lied a bit, too. The thing that saved me, it was a stag, wasn't it? I suppose I should thank him."

"But-"

"Don't bother, Potter. I know. A rat, a stag, and a dog. And a werewolf, of course. I just don't know who's who. Does the headmaster know about the werewolf?"

"Of course." Lupin's mouth was dry.

"Good. I _will_ figure this out. You could save me a lot of bother by just telling me."

"No can do. We'll watch you struggle. It's more fun." Sirius was the only one grinning.

Tammi stalked over to the girls dormitory staircase. Before going up, she turned to the Marauders and said, in a softer tone, "You can trust me, you know."

**A/N: If I don't get at least two more reviews, I'm going to either delete it or abandon this story. So, review! I know for a fact that over 40 people have read this story. Only two of them bothered to review. I bothered to write over 9000 words. You can bother to write two.**

**Examples:**

**This sucks**

**please continue**

**write more**

**please delete**

**pretty good**

**If you're feeling really nice, you could even do more :)**

**Eviltwin**


	5. Under the Willow tree

**Thanks to my three reviewers, I decided to keep writing this story. So, here's chapter 5!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own it, never will. I own my characters, though.**

**Me: That's right, little people! I **_**own**_** you!**

**Them: AAAAHHHH!!!!! SAVE US REVIEWERS!**

**Me: Yeah, cause if you don't review, I'm going to kill them **_**all**_** off in chapter 6! Even the ones I don't own! MWAHAHAHAHA!!! (laughs maniacally and stalks off to terrorize other book characters)**

**P.S. I was kidding...maybe.**

One Sunday exactly two weeks from arrival, the first year Gryffindor girls (including Amber, who had made a full recovery so that her third-degree burns were no longer visible) all filed down the common room stairs wearing muggle t-shirts and jeans. A pink and white fabric butterfly buzzed around Tammi's white tee, landing on a polka-dotted patchwork flower that swayed on the white cotton.

"Are you trying to make a fashion statement or did you enchant those clothes?" Lily asked. A purple panda waved from Kimmie's top. Selena Gomez blinked in confusion on Reilly's.

"Oh, them." Amrit waved her hand dismissively.

"You know that camera potion? The one that makes the pictures move?" Kimmie sat down. The purple panda picked up an embroidered piece of bamboo.

"We soaked our clothes in it." Amber's tee said 'dumb blonde'. Above it, a photo of an American pop star fake-flipped her bleached hair and struck an outrageous modeling pose.

"But it might not have been safe! You could have destroyed your clothes, or,-or blown something up!" Alice cried out, alarmed.

Reilly waved the accusation away. "Oh, that. We tested it first so we knew it was safe."

"On what?" Lily asked with growing apprehension.

Tammi whipped something red and blue from behind her back and dangled it in the air in front of her. _"Voila!"_

Gales of laughter shook through the common roomasColton leaped up and chased the maniacally laughing Tammi around the Common room, trying desperately to reclaim his Spiderman boxers. Spidey climbed up a printed brick wall, laughing too.

Although the Marauders would normally be laughing the loudest, none of them (except for Sirius, but that was inevitable) had made a sound.

True to her promise, Tammi had not breathed a word of their secret to anyone, although she was often found sitting in the library, researching werewolves and their symptoms. She had not yet put her finger on which Marauder was which animal, although she was fairly certain that Peter was the rat- she could not imagine any of the other marauders transforming into one. Besides, Peter-the-human even had rat-like features- beady eyes, large teeth, and a rather ratty face. Even so, he was a nice person, although very timid and not very smart.

"Fight like a wizard, Tammi!" Colton hollered, out of breath from chasing Tammi. Although he (from what Tammi had heard) was a brilliant flier, Tammi was faster on the ground from all her Soccer training. He did, however, regain his underwear, but only after Tammi had extracted a few promises to him, all which seemed to do with him doing embarrassing things in front of the Slytherins.

Eventually, all the Gryffindors trooped out of the Common Room in their small groups to enjoy the unusually mild September morning.

After a quick stop in the Great Hall to grab a bit of food (although they ended up with a pile of donuts), the girls, Colton, Martin, and Michael went down to the lake. Rupert pleaded off, saying he had to study, and August volunteered to stay with him, so he had a chance to work on Slughorn's shrinking solution essay.

Soon the group was seated under their favorite tree, an ancient weeping willow with a view of everything that went on in the castle and grounds. There were many other trees with shadier spots, but the weeping willow was first-year Gryffindor territory, just like the birch tree near the east shore that the marauders owned. No one else sat there ever.

The willow was right beside the lake, so if you sat on it's far side and stretched your feet out, like the first years were doing, the water would gently wash over your feet in tiny ripples. If you gazed out to the water you would be able to see everything beneath the clear glass surface. Insects skittered across the surface. Shoals of tiny silver fish swam together beneath the eerily waving water plants. And if you squinted really hard, you might see a silhouette of the giant squid rearing out of the water, tentacles flying.

By the pumpkin patch, Hagrid, the gamekeeper, was feeding something. It was odd. He would hold a chunk of raw, red beef out to...something. And that...something... was rapidly devouring it. _Invisible_ Tammi thought.

Something jingled. Tammi looked around wildly, searching for the bells, when she realized the noise was coming from Reilly's fifty or so silver bangles that she was jiggling impatiently. "I'm _bored_." Reilly whined. "Let's play a game." Suddenly, a tentacle flopped onto the sandy shore, whacking her hand. She shrieked and held the hand as far away from her body as was possible as if it had touched something disgusting- which of course it had.

"Oooh, oooh, I know!" Kimmie giggled. "Let's play cootie tag! Reilly's got 'em!" Everyone but the three boys(who had no idea what cootie tag was) scattered, putting as much distance between them and Reilly as possible. Reilly quickly wiped her hand on Michael and then ran, squealing like everyone else.

"Michael's got the cooties!" everyone screamed, causing a couple of annoyed Ravenclaw fifth years to cast scandalized looks at them. Michael stood dumbfounded, not quite sure what to do, while Colton roared with laughter at his friend's expense.

8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888Two hours later, everyone (except Amrit) had gotten the cooties at least once. They headed back to the common room, but when they got there, found that the dormitory entrances were blocked by a mass of people, crowded around the notice board. The first years, being so small, were shoved to the back of the huddle and were jumping up and down to try and get a good look at the bulletin.

The head girl, a short, plump, redhead came up to the crowd. "Back away! Back away! Let the first years through, they're the only ones that really need to see that flier!" The older students dispersed, muttering.

"I remember my first flying lesson..."

"...and the broom just flew into my hand, I knew..."

"...I was scared! The broom just wouldn't..."

Quidditch stories flew around the room at breakneck speed.

"Wonder what that's about." Amrit muttered to Colton and Tammi.

"Dunno, mate." Colton shrugged.

"Yeah... Do you think Potter really hit a muggle helicopter on his first broom ride?" Tammi said.

"No." The head girl was speaking. "James made that up. I was there for his first time. I'm Molly Prewett, by the way."

"Geez, Molly, spoil the fun. And I never said I _hit_ a helicopter, thats a rumor. I _almost_ crashed into one, difference, see." James and Sirius were now standing next to Molly.

"You know each other, then?" Amrit asked.

"Unfortunately." Molly made a face. "We're cousins."

"You _are_?" Sirius seemed shocked. "Ickle Jamesie's related to a _head girl_? Why Jamie, you never told me!" He was grinning evilly. James smelled immense humiliation coming.

"What? No! We don't even like each other, right?" James cried desperately "Back me up, Molly!"

Molly ignored him. "We're really best friends, Sirius. Don't listen to him!"

Sirius did his evil smile again. James gulped and ran, Sirius chasing after him. Molly rolled her eyes and turned back to the first years.

"You lot should go look at that notice, it's pretty important for you guys." obediently, the ten eleven-year-olds crowded around the sign.

**FLYING LESSONS**

The first year Gryffindors will have their first

flying lesson with Professor D. N. Meadows,

the flying instructor and inter-house Quidditch

cup referee, on SEPTEMBER 5. They will have a

joint class with the Hufflepuffs. Class starts at

9:30 AM on the Quidditch pitch. No personal

brooms will be allowed.

Minerva McGonagall

Head of Gryffindor house

"Great!" Colton was not the only one who seemed to be excited. Gryffindor had gotten five muggleborns that year, and none of them had ever flown. Some of the half-bloods (including Amrit) hadn't ever been on a broom either.

Colton, however, was particularly eager to start flying, as he hoped to make the Gryffindor Quidditch team next year. Tammi was excited, but more than a little apprehensive as well. She had a fear of heights that often sprung out at the worst moments.

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Twenty eleven year olds were huddled on the cleanly cut grass beneath the stadium stands. Fifteen meters away, two rows of brooms lay in neat lines, six feet apart from the next. Professor Meadows still had not arrived.

"I'm bored!" A Hufflepuff girl Tammi had never talked to whined loudly. The black and yellow robed students were clustered around a ditzy blonde, Gilderoy Lockeheart. Apparently he was the Hufflepuff "ringleader", although some of the girls were circled around an Asian girl Tammi remembered from the sorting as "CHANG, Emily!", one of the twins.

The girl who had whined before was now complaining loudly. "I got out of bed this early, and it's_ cold_ and the stupid teacher doesn't even freaking bother to show up! I freaking bothered to get my freaking butt out of that _freaking _bed-"

Amrit could take it no longer. "Heavens, how long did that take you, Gregor?" she snapped. "Would have done us all a favor if you had just left it there."

Tammi walked to stand behind Amrit, backing her. The rest of the Gryffindors followed her. Emily Chang tossed her hair and went to stand with them, smirking at Monique Gregor. Her twin, Marcus, trailed behind her like a stray puppy. Julienne Mare and Danielle Goldsmith joined Monique. They took up positions on either side of her, glaring at the opposing group. The rest of the Hufflepuffs except Lockeheart joined Emily with Amrit (Lockeheart's face was scrunched up in concentration, like he was trying hard to figure out what was happening. Eventually he gave up and sat down on the short grass, ignoring everything.).

It looked like things were going to turn ugly when a short witch with spiky black hair strode onto the field. She had a whistle in her mouth and was carrying a sleek broom, much nicer than the ones that lay on the ground not far away.

The witch clapped her hands. "ATTENTION!" Tammi thought she was the no-nonsense kind of person who would not tolerate any fooling around and expected her orders to be followed immediately.

Monique immediately began pointing fingers when she saw the teacher. "Professor, she insulted me! That girl called me an ass! She-" Professor Meadows (if that was who she was, for Tammi did not know for certain) cut her off sharply. "I DON'T CARE GREGOR!" she barked. She seemed to be the sort of commanding, intimidating person that was always barking or yelling whatever she said. Tammi immediately disliked her.

"HURRY UP, GRAB A BROOMSTICK. I HAVEN'T GOT ALL DAY!" It seemed the class shared Tammi's sentiments as they slouched, muttering, to the neat rows of brooms.

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"Up! UP!" Tammi scowled at her stationary broomstick. It finally flew into her hand after the third yell, by which she was completely pissed off. Looking around, though, Tammi realized that none but Colton and Emily Chang had gotten the broom on their first try, and Emily's had almost fallen back down. Lockeheart's broom had actually hit him in the head.

Tammi could have sworn she heard Madame Meadows (as they had been instructed to call her) mumble "Oh, you lot are hopeless. _Why _I bother..." she clapped her hands. "Fine. You lot that didn't get your brooms, go sit by the wall. The rest, get your butts over here." The fourteen dismissed first years trudged over to the stone castle, scowling and muttering darkly about crazy witches.

Tammi and the remaining five walked up to the flying professor apprehensively, unsure of whether she would bite. The group was mostly Gryffindors and one Hufflepuff, the Chang girl.

As if reading their thoughts, Madame Meadows said "I don't bite, you know." she even smiled faintly.

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Walking back from the flying lesson, Tammi and Colton were covered in bruises and cuts, although Tammi much more so than Colton. Amrit was scrape-free, although very disgruntled, annoyed she had spent an entire hour sitting by a wall.

As the students had learned, Madame Meadows preferred to teach the hard way, letting them run into walls, trees, and, occasionally, each other until they figured out how to steer. She maintained that it would "Stick in their thick skulls" better that way. It was an extremely painful method of teaching.

"I still can't believe she wouldn't let me on a broom. It's completely unfair!" Amrit was still indignant about the "wasteful squandering of an hour that _could_ have been spent doing something actually useful".

Colton was of a different opinion. "Yeah, but it didn't look like any of the others would be getting their brooms any time soon, so we saved time not waiting for the slow ones to pick up their broomsticks."

"Ye, but if she had just let us _all _pick up the brooms, _everyone_ would have learned how to fly." Amrit was adamant in her belief. She did not have a very high opinion of Madame Meadows and thought that the professor was a horrible instructor.

Tammi listened to the two argue all the way to the castle. It was really a sort of debate, and Tammi enjoyed listening to their different arguments. The other Gryffindors apparently did too, because soon everyone was taking sides, and even a few Hufflepuffs joined in. Professor McGonagall broke up the heated argument when they got inside, saying it was "Disgraceful and inappropriate to be yelling in the hall", and she rounded the whole thing off by taking an even fifty points from each house, although Tammi got the impression she was enjoying the debate too.

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_Preview of chapter 5: The Quidditch party_

_He stood there for a minute, a silly grin plastered on his face. Tammi danced off; now she was at the front, cheering on the singing sixth year._

_Who knew _

_that you'd be here looking like you do_

_makin' stayin' over here impossible_

_if you don't have to go, don't_

_Tammi swayed to the song, dancing with a third year._

_I wanna take you away_

_let's escape into the music_

_DJ, let it play_

_I just can't refuse it_

_like the way you do it_

_keep on rocking to it_

_please don't stop the please don't stop the_

_please don't stop the music_

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**A/N : I hope you liked it! Please review, it makes me really happy!**

**Again, I wrote over 11,000 words, it's not hard for you to write 3 or 4.**

**IF YOU ALWAYS, ALWAYS REVIEW, YOU MAY SKIP THE REST OF THIS NOTE AND GO STRAIGHT DOWN TO THE REVIEW BUTTON :). IF NOT, READ.**

**If your excuse for not reviewing is that you don't have enough time, guess what? You just wasted 5 minutes of time you don't have enough of to read this, so waste two more seconds to review and make me happy.**

**If your excuse for not reviewing is that you think this story sucked, guess what? You liked it enough to read five freaking chapters, so it can't suck that bad (you people who are laughing at me because you skipped to the end of the story to find out what happens, that's not how you read a book :) You start at the beginning and work your way through to the end). So, review this story that you thought sucked and I will be happy.**

**If your excuse is that you can't think of anything to say, guess what? I even put a list of two-word reviews on chapter 4, so look there for inspiration.**

**REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW**

**Eviltwin**

**Also, I was thinking (no comments about how shocking that is, please) that maybe I should post the first year class list that I made when I wrote chap.2. If you want me to, review and tell me. This is another part of my diabolical scheme to make you review. MWAHAHAHAH!!!!!**

**And, I will not be continuing until I get 3 reviews. Thats not hard, people. If I got...5 reviews, I might find the inspiration to update 6/1/09 or 6/2/09. hehe.**


	6. Chapter 6

**I've decided to give this story up. My other story, Roses Blooming, has been **_**way**_** more popular and I want to focus on that.**

**Sorry if I've disappointed anyone by quitting this story.**

**Tammi and my other OC's are up for grabs if anyone wants to use them in a story, I don't care.**

**Hallie**


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